Private "Rescue" & Respect.

It of course, is a daily reality. Humans have fragile, transient lives, relationships, health, finances, etc.. In the midst of such things, dogs often need a new situation (permanent &/or otherwise). I have always felt it imperative to help a dog-in-need out. Particularly the large LGDs...they're my special interest & they are often in need of such a specialised containment system & management that they fall prey to disaster quite easily.

Here are some of the legal/moral realities of private assistance...
If there is a registration document associated with the dog, it must be signed, dated & handed over to the assisting party at time of transfer. This gives he/she/them/they the authority to make decisions on behalf of the dog. It holds-harmless the former "owner" & transfers responsibility to the new people involved...as such, they are responsible for the care, custody & control of Fifi. The title of Fifi is key...as it allows them to decide for the dog, on behalf of the dog, potential new homes/owners/situations. Without the title, the dog & the well-intended caretaker sit in purgatory-on-earth. Accordingly, without the title, the new caretaker is responsible for maintaining the dog & caring for the dog in a manner consistent with the caretaker's other dog/s. However, they cannot legally place the dog anywhere , because they do not legally own the dog & therefore lack the authority of transfer.

If the dog has no registration papers, then the dog should be scanned with a universal scanner for a microchip &/or assessed for a tattoo (usually on inner ear or inner thigh). In this manner, a bill-of-transfer can be written relating to the dog & identifying the dog by means of her microchip or tattoo. Again, this sets the precedent of ownership & responsibility relating to the dog & as such, protects both the former dog-parent & the new dog-parent from surprise liens, vet bills, lawsuits, infamy etc..

In the event the dog has no registration & no ID, a foto will suffice (along with a transfer statement signed/dated by former owner directly to new caretaker). Copies to be retained by both parties.

In worst-case scenarios, the new caretaker has an onslaught of new challenges during week 1, these include: a massive dog needing grooming; flea & other parasite problems; the psychological damages of change which affect sensitive LGDs; aggression issues; training needs; & dietetic disturbance issues. These are all little issues & medium-sized issues that can alchemise into leviathonesque mega-issues.

In best-case scenarios the former owner/s of the dog-in-need have greatly assisted me by doing the following:

1) They bathed and flea treated the dog 24 hours prior to bringing her to me.
2) They brought me a supply of her food, so that I could slowly transfer her to my feeding program.
3) They provided me with a fully executed registration document or a statement from their veterinarian regarding a microchip/tattoo assessment. Consequently, they wrote me a bill of transfer relating to said dog.
4) They delivered their dog with her collar & leash...a collar & leash she is familiar with. She will use this as a beacon of comfort & "self" in the ensuing days.
5) They will promptly answer their phone &/or reply to any texts I may send regarding their dog as she settles in with me.

All of the above allows me to swiftly get health-testing done & associate it with the registration number of the dog (or the microchip or tattoo) & additionally, I'll layer careful management on, so that an idyll can be found under which the dog will flourish. This realm of logic has not failed me yet...yet, I am never surprised at the expectations which prevail when a good deed goes done!

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